


The Bells of Notre Dame

by Anonymous



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Ableism, Body Disfigurement, F/M, Hunchback of Notre Dame AU, Romani, Scars, rromani, slur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 01:09:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19415344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Matt has always stayed in his tower, never venturing outside the walls of Notre Dame. The one day he does, changes his life forever, and it’s all thanks to Elektra.A Hunchback of Notre Dame au.





	The Bells of Notre Dame

**1447**

Elektra covers herself in a thick blanket, obscuring her face, as she heads towards where her acting trope is setting up. Her thin shoes do little to protect her from the cold stone streets, and she pulls the blanket a little tighter around her body.

As she sees the top of the tent, the bells of Notre Dame begin their daily tolling. She glances up and smiles as she takes in the stain glass windows, and stunning statues.

_It must be peaceful for whoever tolls the bells. Living up so high, so close to God._

His entire life Matt has lived within the cathedral, under the supervision of Stick, the closest thing to family he knows. According to his story, his mother abandoned him there when he was a baby, haunted by her terrible actions and wanting nothing more to do with her child.

As a way to protect Matt from the evils of the world, she had attempted to blind him with harsh chemicals, the brutality left him with horrible scars around his eyes and without sight. Stick took him in as his own after that, insisting that he could never go outside as the people of the city would not understand, they’d be scared of him.

So everyday he sits in Notre Dame, ringing the bells and wondering what it would be like to walk among everyone else, what it would feel like to be normal.

Elektra changes into her costume, a bright red dress with a fake gold belt. Her hair is left loose, and her feet are bare save the anklets she wears. Gifts from the Rroma when she joined their group.

She helps set up the last tent for the Festival of Fools, as the bells once again toll from Notre Dame. “Who do you think will be the King of Fools this year?” She turns to Madame Gao, one of the women in charge of the festival.

“I don’t know, I guess we’ll see. Now come on, it’s almost time for your performance.”

It has taken Matt years to finally gain the courage to go outside the walls he has known his whole life, along with the help of a lot of prayer and asking for guidance from God. He has to wait for Stick to go away on his work duties before sneaking outside, his hood drawn to mask his face.

His cane fumbles across the stone streets as he follows the noise of joyful voices and music, for so long he has listened from atop the cathedral but now he can experience it, even once will be enough to thrill him for the rest of his life.

The music swells as Elektra takes center stage. Twirling and dancing. The crowd cheering her on. She spins and spins, her long hair whipping around her. Her anklets and belt jingling.

“Who will be my king this year?” She calls out. Feigning a look of desperation. Many men shout. The thought of being near her exciting them.

Her keen eyes look over the crowd as she continues to dance, and she spots a man covering himself in a hood. _Why is he covering his face? Maybe his mask is especially good, and he wants to hide it until choosing time._

Matt is perfectly content in standing back in the crowd, having none of the attention placed upon him; Stick’s words still replay themselves loudly in his head.

_The world is not kind, they will not understand you. To them, you are a monster._

He listens to the music of the woman’s body, the fabric of her dress fluttering around her and the jangling of all her jewelry. If she looks as beautiful as she sounds, then it’s obvious why she is so loved by the crowd.

Elektra does a cartwheel, and they hoot and holler. Hoping to see beneath her dress, but it’s long enough to cover her smooth legs.

She expertly climbs up a nearby pole, and peers into the crowd from her perch. “You! My king!” She points to the man in the hood. “Take off the hood, reveal yourself, and claim your crown!”

Before Matt can respond, someone close to him reaches over and pulls his hood down, revealing his face. Vicious burn scars curl around his eyes, stretched from time and growth. The skin is dry and cracked, almost as though he were a statue come to life and the scars themselves are an irritated pink.

He is pale and gaunt from his life spent tucked away in darkness, almost making him appear to be skeleton like. In contrast to his dark hair, he looks to be half dead, a creature barely hanging on to life.

The same stranger goes to pull off Matt’s “mask” but upon realising it was his face, he jumps back as though he had been burnt. A woman screams and Matt pulls the hood back up hastily, he stumbles back and tries to run away from the panic now starting to spread.

Elektra looks down in confusion at the fresh chaos. She jumps down from her perch, and is surprised to see the man running away.

She sees guards are about to chase him, and whistles. “Boys, are you going to miss the fun?”

They turn back to her, and she grabs a smoke ball she’s tucked away in a secret pocket. She throws it at them, and it puffs bright red in their face.

Someone screams witch, and she takes off running. Knowing they’ll chase her now instead.

Matt should have known better than to disobey Stick’s orders, the guards will report back to him upon seeing his face and only God knows what sort of trouble he’ll be in. Maybe he’ll be thrown out, maybe he’ll be beaten, it will be well deserved.

He hears the commotion happening back at the festival and realises they are no longer focused on him, instead there is screams of a witch and all Matt can do is try and find a place to hide until the panic is over. He tosses his cane and walks as though he can see, eventually finding a place to hide.

Elektra eventually out runs the guards. She wants to go home, but she can’t risk them finding her. Then they’d known where the Rroma have been living in secret.

She finds a small alcove to hide in, until she can get near a church and ask for sanctuary. They won’t leave her alone now that they think she’s a witch.

She notices the man from before, in they corner of her eye, hiding nearby. She throws a pebble at him, hoping to get his attention. “Psst, over here.” She whispers.

Matt recognises her voice from before but cowers away, keeping his head down and masking his face. He wants to go home, he wants the safety of his duties and to be free from the judgement of others.

“Please leave me alone,” he whispers in return, his mouth just barely visible from beneath his hood.

“I’m sorry for earlier. Really, I am, but if we’re going to escape the guards, we should work together.” Elektra crouches down, and scurries across the road towards him. She places a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Could you ever forgive me?”

Matt flinches at the touch but doesn’t push her away. It’s the first time in forever someone has shown him kindness, it’s foreign and feels undeserving but he tries to handle it normally. Hesitantly, he nods towards Notre Dame.

“I have somewhere to hide,” he bites his lip at the thought of a strange woman in his room but knows it’s the best option they have right now, “not for long, but you can figure out your plan there.”

“Thank you.” She takes his hand and squeezes it reassuringly. “Lead the way.”

They manage to walk through the city without detection, entering the cathedral then walking up the winding staircase that lead up to where Matt lived, beside the bells he rung every day. The place is clean for the most part, no real belongings of any kind and free from any decoration. It was a bland life, to say the least.

“Make yourself at home,” Matt says shyly as he walks towards an old wooden stool, it creaks as he sits down on it and he keeps his head down, still embarrassed from his reveal at the festival.

Elektra peers around the place. Taking it in. “You have this place all to yourself?” She slips off her anklets, and belt, and places them in a neat pile on the floor.

“Yes,” he nods while twisting his hands together nervously, Stick is the only other person who has been up here before and it feels strange to be showing it to someone whose name he doesn’t even know. “I know it’s not much, but it’s more than enough for me.”

“Do you ring the bells then?” Her eyes can see them in the distance. “Are you the infamous bell ringer?” Her voice is filled with excitement.

For the first time in forever, Matt hears excitement as opposed to fear in someone’s voice. It takes him a long moment to get over that simple fact before responding.

“I do,” he nods, still keeping his head tilted down.

“Wow.” Elektra breathes. Wonderment in her voice. “How long have you rung them?”

“Since I was strong enough to do so,” he explains. “I’ve lived here my whole life, today was the first day I thought it wise to explore and… you saw how that turned out.”

“People are cruel, and you deserve better.” Elektra lays a gentle hand on his shoulder. “And I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, what happened at the festival.”

“You didn’t know,” he manages a small smile, “if anything, it’s my fault. Everything was fine until then, and I’m sorry for bringing you into this.”

“It’s okay. I’d probably get chased by the guards soon anyways. I live and associate with the Rromani, and I’m sure you know how the government feels about them.” Elektra elegantly tiptoes across one of the wooden beams into the other room, and stands directly under a bell. She place her hand on the cool metal and smiles.

“Do you think the archdeacon may give me sanctuary, until I can figure out how to deal with the guards?” She turns back to face him. Not at all frightened by his face.

Matt thinks of Stick and all the things he has told him over the years about the Rromani, specifically how they were not to be trusted. He cannot find it within himself to disregard one of the only people who has shown him kindness, but a whole life of being told the “truth” was hard to overcome.

“Perhaps,” he muses, tilting his head slightly as he listens to Elektra gracefully balance herself across the beams, “you are free to stay up here with me, if you want to.”

“Thank you again. I’ll try to feel it out. Maybe the guards will forget about me, but probably not if this gets to the higher powers. They won’t let a witch go.” She plunks down on a beam, and dangles her legs over the side. Not at all frightened by the height. Eagerly looking down below.

Matt nods solemnly before using whatever bravery he had left to stand up and go sit beside Elektra. The wood creaks a little beneath the weight of both of them but he knows it won’t break.

“I’ll help in whatever way I can.” He promises.

She leans over and hugs him. “You’re a good man.”

Matt’s instinct in to tell her she’s wrong, that people wouldn’t cower when faced with a good man. He doesn’t though, he lets her hug him and tries to memorize the sensation for when he is alone again.

Elektra hears distant footsteps growing closer, and a gruff voice. “Matty! Matty!” She pulls back from the hug, and stands.

“I can’t be seen.” She expertly scurries off the beam, and ducks into his bedroom. Hoping it’ll hide her.

Matt, with less grace, stumbles across the beam just in time as Stick enters. 

“What were you thinking?” Stick yells as he crosses the room towards Matt, grabbing him by his shirt before pinning him to one of the nearby pillars. “I have asked one thing of you through the years— stay inside these walls! Have I not been clear enough? Do I not provide you— “

He stops suddenly, head cocking as he listens to another heartbeat belonging to neither of them.

Elektra freezes when the yelling stops. Knowing something bad is about to happen. She presses her back against the wall, and starts to slowly slide down. Trying to obscure herself from view.

“You poor boy, I should have known,” Stick takes a step back from Matt and starts to slowly walk around the room, head still cocked to the side, “out of all of us, you would be the one to succumb to the evils of witchcraft.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Matt says carefully, he needs to get her out before Stick does something bad, he is a man of violence after all, despite insisting otherwise.

Elektra stills her breath, and tries to keep quiet. She doesn’t want to see what happens if he finds out she’s here, in Matt’s room of all places.

Before Stick can go any further, he can hear some of the guards from before talking about going and investigating some of the wagons the Rromani came into the city in, then they can arrest anyone who refuses to tell them where the witch is hiding.

“Make good choices, son.” Stick says as he turns around as walks back towards the exit, purposefully bumping against Matt as he moves past him. “God is watching.” He then disappears back down the winding staircase.

Elektra stays frozen against the wall, until Matt tells her it’s safe to come out. “I’m sorry for this. I’ve gotten you into trouble again. I’ll try to find a place to hide, that won’t drag anyone down with me. I can’t return to the Rromani yet, that awful minister is just looking for an excuse to murder them, and I’d be the perfect reason.” She sighs.

“And I can’t stay with you. If you’re found to have hid me, you could be burned as a witch or witch sympathizer.”

“I said I’d help you, I intend to keep true of my promise,” Matt says despite his confidence now wavering due to Stick’s intrusion. He doesn’t want to believe the only person to show him kindness in forever is evil, that would mean that there must be some evilness inside him too. “I can sneak us out of here, but you’d have to trust me.”

Her eyes flicker over his face. Taking in his earnestness. “I trust you.” She says softly. “How do we do this?”

“We climb down,” Matt says simply before nodding towards the balcony, “it’s how I left earlier today. I can carry you, you’ll just have to keep an eye out for me.”

Elektra glances over the balcony. “Okay.” She nods, and takes his hand.

He leads her to the balcony, and she hikes her skirt high enough to free her legs, and wrap them around his waist. Her arms go around his neck, and her hands clutch his shirt. Her fingers brush against his metal crucifix, hung around his neck.

Matt’s cheeks burn with heat but he does his best to ignore it. Carefully, he steps over the balcony and starts to climb down, using the old stone as steps. There were a few blunders, missing his footing or catching the sound of a nearby guard but after a short while, they’re on the ground and he helps Elektra down.

She uncurls from around him, and steps into the street. She reaches behind her neck, unhooks her necklaces, and pulls it out from under her dress.

In her hands is a beautifully woven woollen talisman, hanging on a long rope. Variously brightly coloured rope intertwine in the middle, making a perfect circle. She places it in his hands, and pushes his fingers down to clasp it.

“If you’re ever in need aid, go to the bridge above the Seine. Underneath is a secret alcove. If you go in it, and show this talisman to the man manning the door, he’ll let you in, and you’ll be protected.”

“Thank you.” Warmed by her kindness, Matt manages the first smile in what could possibly be forever. It will be impossible to forget the first outsider who treated him like a human, who wasn’t afraid to touch him.

Elektra leans forward and kisses his cheek. She then steps back, and her bare feet pad against the cobblestone, as she disappears into the Paris streets.

That night, Matt traces the winding scars on his face without anguish or regret. He falls asleep thinking about the music of Elektra’s jewelry, a lullaby to send him into the best sleep he’s had in years.

The minister Stick, spares no one in his search for her. His mission to purge the world of sin and vice, goes hand in hand with witch burnings. He’s determined to find her, and she watches in the shadows as he searches.

She resists to urge to help the Rromani he harasses, but as soon as he’s gone, she goes to them. The search so far has been futile, because she’s known better then to associate with anyone he may question.

This has turned him desperate.

A few homes situated near Norte Dame, are brought under his scrutinizing eye. Elektra watches, hidden in plain sight, as he approaches the homes. His soldiers harass the home owners, and when they give no information, as they know nothing, he utters three chilling words. “Burn them out.”

A solider grabs a torch, and lights the first house aflame. The house begins to smoulder, and the door is purposely blocked.

Elektra comes racing from from her hiding spot. Unable to stand by and let this happen. “Stop!” She screams. Her voice echoing in the quiet night.

The smell of smoke and yelling wakes Matt from his slumber. Groggily, he gets up from his bed on the ground and stumbles over to the balcony. The smell only gets more intense before he hears a voice ring out in among the slowly building panic.

As soon as he recognises the voice, Matt feels as though his heart skips a beat. Without second thought, he jumps the edge of the balcony and starts to scurry his way down. slipping a few times with the heavy blanket of sleep still over him but eventually lands with a thud.

The minister’s blind eyes go to her, and he yells. “Seize her!” Elektra doesn’t fight when two guards come over, and pin her arms behind her back.

“You have me, let them live!” She begs. Sticj looks contemplative for a moment, before smiling viciously.

“I’m doing the world a favour, getting rid of gypsy scum. They deserve to burn, as do you. Take her away.” He commands and begins to stride off.

“No!” She tries to dig her feet into the cobblestone, but it’s no use as the guards begin to drag her away.

Despite wanting to follow after Elektra, Matt knows he has to help the houses first. He unblocks the doors once the guards disappear, and when the families are safe and outside, he vanishes into the night without anyone seeing him.

Throughout the years, he’s become incredibly good at being quiet, he may not have his sight but he has perfected the art of knowing when he was being watched. He follows after Elektra, Stick and the guards.

“She’ll burn in the morning.” Stick orders as she’s thrown in prison.

Elektra huddles in the corner. Knees tucked against her chest. In her desperation, she prays. _God save everyone from Stick’s vile eye. Protect them. Let me be a martyr, if it means their safety._

He stays as far away as he can without losing the trail, the last thing he needs is for Stick to hear him and throw him in alongside Elektra. After waiting until they were gone, Matt bolts across and into the prison, he manages to sneak past the one guard supposedly meant to be guarding her and crouches down in front of the bars.

He taps his knuckles gently against the bars, hoping to get her attention.

She glances in the direction of the noise, and her eyes light up when she sees Matt. She quickly scrambles over to him. “You came for me?” Her voice is filled with awe and amazement.

“Of course,” he speaks softly, “you don’t belong in here. I can see now that Stick was wrong, all these years he convinced me that I was the monster but in reality, it’s him.”

“We have to stop him. He’s going to kill as many Rromani as he can find. Especially when he learns I escaped.” She reaches her hand between the bars, and quietly takes the key from his hands. She unlocks the door and slips out.

“Once again, thank you.” She quickly brushes hair from around his scarred eyes. She looks at him for a moment, before leaning forward and kissing him softly.

Matt freezes as Elektra’s lips touch his own. It’s the first time he’s ever been kissed, yet alone by someone like Elektra. He can hear Stick’s voice in his head contemning him, telling him that God was disappoint in him for falling for her witchcraft but in that moment, he doesn’t care.

“What was that for?” He asks quietly after the kiss is broken, his voice soft and blissful.

“Because I wanted too.” She breathes quietly. Her fingers move forward, and interlock their hands. “Now, how are we going to take down Stick?”

“He’s stubborn, won’t stop until he gets what he wants,” Matt explains as he rubs his thumb across the back of Elektra’s hand, “we have to finish this for good. We lure him back to Notre Dame and confront him, what happens there will be God’s wish.”

“Okay.” She nods, and keeps their hands intertwined as they leave the prison.

They expertly traverse the city, and return to the church. Climbing to the bell tower.

She kisses him once more, before looking over the city. Knowing it might be her last day to do so. “You’re a good man Matthew. A godly man. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.”

“You’re good too,” he’s spent his whole life up in this tower, he’d much rather spend these moments focused on Elektra, “your people don’t deserve to be treated as they are.”

Her hand caresses his cheek. “I’m so glad I met you.” She kisses him again as chaos erupts in the city below.

Several more houses have been put to the torch, and she can hear soldiers clamouring through the streets.

“They’re coming.” She whispers, before stepping out of sight of the tower. Readying to fight.

With news of Elektra’s escape, Stick knows Matt is involved. After all he’s done for the boy, anger builds at his disrespect and pleasure in falling to sin. He tells the soldiers to continue guarding the streets as he heads up towards the bell tower, he wants to kill Elektra with his own two hands.

Matt knows Stick will be able to find them so he lingers on the balcony as Elektra hides. He isn’t afraid of him now, he’ll do what he must.

The wooden door to the bell tower creaks as it’s swung open, and Stick barges in. Elektra snatches a metal candelabra sitting in Matt’s room, and holds it tight in her hand, turning her fingers red.

She’s ready to use it to protect Matt and herself. They’re not going to die at that villain’s hand. Not when freedom is so close.

Stick slowly approaches Matt, sizing him up like a predator starved for weeks. He has no attachment to him, not really and he’ll get rid of him if it means ridding the world of the kind he had become fond of.

“After all I’ve done for you—”

“You’ve done nothing for me,” Matt interrupts, his hands balled up into tight fists either side of him, “the only thing you have given me is shame. You told me that God is watching and I promise you, there’s only one of us here who’s a monster in his eyes.”

Elektra keeps her back against the wall, knowing at any moment she’ll have to fight with Matt.

Stick snarls and whips around upon pinpointing Elektra’s position, though before he can attack her, Matt lunges at him and tackles him. They fall and Stick kicks Matt in the stomach in an attempt to free himself, he won’t lose to two freaks.

Elektra throws herself from her hiding spot, and pounces on Stick. Hitting him in the back of the head with the candelabra, and pulling him away from Matt by his collar.

He stumbles backwards as blood oozes from his head, and Elektra shoves him again. Pushing Stick back farther.

When Stick tries again to lunge for them, Matt takes his turn and pushes him back onto the balcony. Stick stumbles and falls against the railing.

“You will burn for this,” Stick hisses and Matt gently takes the candelabra from Elektra’s hand

“I’ll see you there,” he says softly and once again fueled with anger, Stick growls and goes to attack Elektra. Before he can, Matt hits him across the head once more and listens as Stick takes a few shaky steps back and tips over the edge of the balcony, falling to his death.

Elektra runs to the balcony’s edge, and looks down to see a ghastly sight below. Stick’s body is now more liquid then solid, and slowly pooling in the street.

The sound of his death has brought several people out of their homes. Peering down at the now dead minister.

A man astride a black horse rides over, and looks down at Stick with minor indifference. “The judge is dead! I am claim his power until a successor can be properly found! Tell the guards to stop the fires, and then investigate this death.” His horse neighs as he begins to trot away.

She steps from the balcony, and out of sight of the crowd glancing upwards. She holds Matt, and buries her face in the crook of his neck. “What now?”

“I see no reason to stay in the city now,” a tinge of sadness runs through him as the silence that Stick’s heartbeat had once filled seemed to curl around them. 

“They’ll have to find someone new to ring the bells,” he pulls back just enough to turn and face the space he’d grew up in for years and years, “too many memories in here.”

“Then let’s go.” She leans up and kisses him again. “I hear Venice is nice this time of year.”

While Matt didn’t believe he deserved Elektra’s kindness, maybe it was time for him to be selfish for once in his life.

“It’ll be even lovelier with you.”

“Come on. Let’s see the world together.”

They expertly scale down the side of the church. Staying out of view of the crowd and patrolling guards.

They go to beneath the Seinne, where she says goodbye to her found family. She gives back her talisman, and kisses everyone on the cheek, before heading off into the night with Matt.

Elektra isn’t sure what will happened now for them, the two outcasts, but as long as they have each other, they’ll fight to have a place in this world. It’s what God would want for His children.


End file.
